Account Control Method and System That Allows Only Eligible and Authorized Items to Be Purchased Using the Account

1. A system for providing real-time access to funds available in at least one healthcare spending account, comprising: a. a point of sale system configured to recognize and support real-time transactions involving the at least one healthcare spending account, the point of sale system including: (1.) a first input device capable of recognizing items presented for purchase; (2.) a second input device capable of recognizing a healthcare spending account device identifying the at least one healthcare spending account; (3.) a processor system in communication with said first and said second input devices; b. a transaction processor system including: (1.) a first data structure configured to contain eligible item identifiers for items that are eligible for purchase using the at least one healthcare spending account and including an indicator for each item of whether the item is eligible for purchase using the at least one healthcare spending account; (2.) a second data structure configured to contain authorized item identifiers for items that are authorized for purchase using the at least one healthcare spending account; (3.) a third data structure configured to contain transaction data detail; (4.) a decision system using the eligible item identifiers contained in the first data structure, the authorized item identifiers contained in the second data structure, and the transaction data detail contained in the third data structure to process transactions and provide transaction information to the point of sale system; c. a first data communications network connecting the point of sale system and the transaction processor system to a financial card network; and d. a second data communications network connecting the point of sale system and the transaction processor system.

2. A system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said transactions are over the counter transactions.

3. A system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said first input device comprises a universal product code scanning device system.

4. A system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said second input device comprises a card reader device.

5. A system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said healthcare spending account device is a debit card.

6. A system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein wireless network interface technology is employed by the system.

7. A system in accordance with claim 6 , wherein said wireless network interface technology is configured to communicate via WiFi or IEEE 802.11 standards.

8. A system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the transaction processor system information is made available by the point of sale system using at least one output screen which can prompt for responses.

9. A system in accordance with claim 8 , wherein at least a portion of the input into said input devices is required on said at least one output screen.

10. A system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein data encryption technology is employed by the system.

11. A method for real-time access to funds available in at least one healthcare spending account, comprising the following steps: a. authorizing merchant categories for healthcare spending account reimbursement; b. classifying items by their eligibility for reimbursement by the merchant, as indicated by an indicator of eligibility, and identifying merchant categories for each said item; c. presenting items for purchase at a merchant point of sale (POS) system; d. presenting a healthcare spending account device at said merchant POS system, the healthcare spending account device identifying at least one healthcare spending account; e. recognizing the eligible healthcare spending account items by said POS system; f. sending healthcare spending account item transaction data to a decision system by the merchant; g. substantiating at the decision system which eligible healthcare spending account items are authorized; h. determining if the at least one healthcare spending account identified by the healthcare spending account device has an available balance; i. sending a response record with a preauthorized transaction amount from the decision system to the merchant for financial processing, the transaction amount not to exceed the available balance for the at least one healthcare spending account; j. sending a transaction request that is based on the decision system response record through a financial card network to the transaction processor by the merchant; k. authorizing, in real-time, healthcare spending account amounts by the transaction processor for the preauthorized transaction amount from the response record; l. calculating any balance due in excess of the authorized healthcare spending account amounts for the items presented; and, m. requesting payment of any balance due by the merchant.

12. A method in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the at least one healthcare spending account includes a flexible spending account.

13. A method in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the at least one healthcare spending account includes a health reimbursement arrangement.

14. A method in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the step of authorizing merchant categories is provided by one of a plan sponsor, an insurance company, or another applicable party, other than the merchant.

15. A method in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the items are recognized by universal product codes.

16. A method in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the healthcare spending account device is a debit card.

17. A method in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the decision system is located at the transaction processor.

18. A method in accordance with claim 11 , where items comprise any of co-payment costs, product costs, service costs, and pharmacy refill costs.

19. A method in accordance with claim 11 , where non-medical items are purchased, but not reimbursed, in addition to the medical items.

20. A system for account control, comprising: a. a point of sale system configured to recognize and support real-time transactions involving at least one account, the point of sale system including: (1.) an input device; (2.) a processor system in communication with said input device; b. a transaction processor system including: (1.) a first data structure configured to contain eligible item identifiers for items that are eligible for purchase using the at least one account and including an indicator for each item of whether the item is eligible for purchase using the at least one healthcare spending account; (2.) a second data structure configured to contain authorized item identifiers for items that are authorized for purchase using the at least one account; (3.) a third data structure configured to contain transaction data detail; (4.) a decision system using the eligible item identifiers contained in the first data structure, the authorized item identifiers contained in the second data structure, and the transaction data detail contained in the third data structure to process transactions and provide transaction information to the point of sale system; wherein said transaction processor system only authorizes purchases using said at least one account for items with both eligible item identifiers in the first data structure and authorized item identifiers in the second data structure; c. at least one data communications network configured to provide communication between the point of sale system, the transaction processor system, and a financial card network.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein said input device is capable of recognizing an account device.

22. The system of claim 21 , wherein said account device is a credit card.

23. The system of claim 21 , wherein said account device is a debit card.

24. A method for account control of at least one account, comprising the following steps: a. authorizing merchant categories for account reimbursement; b. classifying items by their eligibility for reimbursement by the merchant, as indicated by indicator for each item of whether the item is eligible for purchase using the at least one healthcare spending account, and identifying merchant categories for each said item; c. presenting items for purchase at a merchant point of sale (POS) system; d. presenting an account device at said merchant POS system, the account device identifying at least one account; e. recognizing the eligible account items as eligible by said POS system; f. sending account item transaction data to a decision system by the merchant; g. substantiating at the decision system which eligible account items are authorized; h. sending a response record with a preauthorized transaction amount from the decision system to the merchant for financial processing; i. sending a transaction request that is based on the decision system response record through a financial card network to a transaction processor by the merchant; j. authorizing, in real-time, account amounts by the transaction processor for the preauthorized transaction amount from the response record; k. calculating any balance due in excess of the authorized account amounts for the items presented; and, l. requesting payment of any balance due by the merchant.

25. A method for account control, comprising the following steps: a. establishing at least one account, each account having an account holder; b. identifying at least one item eligible for purchase using one of said at least one account, as indicated by an indicator for each item of whether the item is eligible for purchase using the at least one healthcare spending account; c. identifying at least one item authorized for purchase using one of said at least one account; and, d. upon request to purchase an item using one of said at least one account, authorizing the purchase for an amount not to exceed an available balance in one of said at least one account only if said item is both an item identified as eligible for purchase and an item authorized for purchase; wherein the step of identifying at least one item eligible for purchase is accomplished by a merchant; and wherein the step of identifying at least one item authorized for purchase is accomplished by a plan sponsor.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the step of identifying at least one item authorized for purchase includes identification by category.

27. The method of claim 25 , wherein the step of identifying at least one item eligible for purchase includes identification by category.

28. The method of claim 25 , wherein the step of establishing at least one account is accomplished by an account administrator; and wherein the step of authorizing the purchase is accomplished by a transaction processor.